Petacchi returns to lead Lampre-Farnese Vini in Sardinia

Alessandro Petacchi will return to action in tomorrow’s Giro di Sardegna (Tour of Sardinia) after being sidelined from Saturday’s Trofeo Laigueglia with gastroenteritis. The Italian super-sprinter, nicknamed Ale-Jet, made a winning start to the 2010 season with two stage victories in the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria and a fifth career victory in the GP Costa degli Etrusci.

Petacchi’s enforced layoff could potentially set back his bid to win his second Milano-Sanremo. He won the race in 2005 and finished fifth in la Primavera last year, behind current World’s-fastest-man Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia), but his previous best in the race was second in 2005 behind Filippo Pozzato (now with Katusha).

“Certainly the presence of Petacchi is important,” said Lampre-Farnese Vini sport director Fabrizio Bontempi.” Before the inconvenience that forced him to miss the Trofeo Laigueglia he was entering a period of optimum form; here in Sardinia he’ll have the chance to evaluate his condition and to restart his path towards top fitness.”

“The other special arrow in our bow will be [Francesco] Gavazzi. He was brilliant on Saturday in his first race of the season [where he finished second in the Trofeo Laigueglia - ed] and the roads here in Sardinia could be suitable for him.”